Tractor guide



Dec. 22, 1931. L. M. GREEN ET AL 1,837,659

TRACTOR GUIDE Filed July 12, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ca 7.9 ,7/ Q; 34 (MD Dec. 22, 1931. 1.. M. GREEN ET AL V 1,837,659

TRACTOR GUIDE Filed July 12, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L. M Green; 09- 6'- G'Teezv.

Patented Dec. 22, 1931 UNITED STATES A-T T"OFF V LIEU M. GREEiv AND ARCHIE c. GREEN, or TEX-zoo, NEW Mexico f l 'mAc'ron GUIDE,

, A Application filed m 12,

The object of this invention is to provide an attachment for tractors whereby the tractor,'when hauling cultivators or plows, may be automatically kept to a path parallel with a previously formed furrow. The invention also seeks to provide a device which may be fitted to the front wheels of the tractor so. that as the device follows the irregularities of the furrow it will impart a corresponding .7 movement to the tractor wheels so that the tractor will be steered along a line parallel with the controlling furrow. The invention also has for itsobject the provision of a novel construction whereby the steering device may be set to run at either side of the tractor and may be easily set to run at a greater or less depth in the furrow as may be desired. Other'incidental objects of the invention will appear in thecourse of the following descrip tion, and the invention resldes 1n certam'novel steering device removed from the tractor,

Fig. 4' is a detail view showing the tractor wheel in elevation andshowing in section themeans for attaching the steering device to the wheel, 7 a V 7 Fig. 5' is a detail section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3, and a h f Fig. 6 is-a detail section on the line 6-6 ofFig. 1. 'M t a The tractor, indicated at 1, may beof any known or approved form having'the front wheels 2 mounted for pivotal movement relative to the: frame of the tractor whereby the I I or tube, in practice, be disposed in front of the tractor and alined centrally therewith, the arms 4 which extend at a right angle to the axis of the tubular memberbeing'at the rear endof the same. Secured to the arms ,4 and 5 respectively are bars 6 and 7 which ex- ,55 tend laterally and converge to points located in planes parallel with the centrallongitudi- 3 nal line of-the tractor and at the "outer sides of the wheels 2 where saidfbars are firmly united, as shown at 8, the bars 7 being then extended rearwardly in parallel planes,"a s clearly shown in Fig. 1. At the rear extremities of the bars 7 are'secured brackets 9-which include cups or thimbleslO adapted to fit over v the ends of the spindles or axle carrying'the 155 wheels 2, as indicated at 11 in Fig. 4. A The drawings show the application of the device to what :is-popularlyreferred to asa narrow-tread tractor in which the front ground ,wheels are carried by an axle which turns $.70

about a central pivot in steering. Extending through the tubular body 3 and turnable therein is a stem 12 having a shoulder or abutment -13 vvhich is adapted to impinge against the front end of the tubular body and thereby I limit the insertion of the stem therethrough, the rear end of the stem being held against withdrawalby a cotter pin 14 or thelike-in "an obvious manner. The sleeve 3*is' provided onits upperside with an eye 15 in which may be engaged a chain orother flexible-element 16 which. may be extended upwardly and engaged over some fixed part of the tractor or a securing device provided thereon whereby f to support the frame and the stem in proper position for easyzmovement or'in a raised I position where it will be inoperative; it being understood that th-ecups'or'thimbles 10 per-' m-it the frame to rotate about the hub caps or elementsll ascenters.

The stem 12 is formed at its front end' with alateralfarm' rorrbranch 17 5 whichis preferably integral therewith and a brace 18 extends across the angle defined byrthe stem and its branch so as'to-impart'the requie e5 7 site strength to the structure. The stem and thebranch 17 aretubular; aswill beund'erstood upon reference to Figs. 8-. and 5 more .-particularly,;and inrthe outer end {of the I branch17 'isfitteda spindle19 which isi;ad- 1 00 oimeven cut: into;the same." With'fthe use ofithe present apparatus, the steering wheels by running in the previously formed furrow, 'will holdthe tractor and the plows :or other implements 'idrawn thereby to paths parallel r with the furrow in which the steering-disks are engaged. As the steering disks deviate justable longitudinally :of the branch and which receives a spindle-22 having a cross arm 28' at one end and having its opposite endthreaded to :receive iiisecuring nut 24L- Rotatably mounted upon the ends of the ,cross arm 23 and held .thereon'in'any'desired manner are steering disks 25 which are adapted to runin a previons'ly'formed furrow,[as shown in Fi 2. The spindle l9jimay be rotatably .ad uSted sothat the tubular member 21 will beset :in a vertical position or at an angle to the vertical and this adjustment will set the steering disks obviouslyat higher or lower points so that they will run more or-less deeply lntllG furrow asljudgment and experience may indicateto vbe desirable.

From the foregoing description, taken in vconnection'with'the accompanying drawings, I I steerlng wheels a-stem extending longituit isthought the operation of the apparatus will be readily understood. The steering disks25 aresetfto run in a previously formed furrow and will, of course, follow the sinluosityofthefurrow as the. tractor is driven overthefield and the steering wheels consequently pushedit along the furrow. Q'Experows on straight lines, but :it is practically i impossible to formia furrow along an'absolutely,straight line and it, therefore, fre .quently happens that a newly formed, furrow will vary in its relation toi apreviously formed furrow and; may diverge therefrom from astraight line, the-waving or oscillac tion thereof will'b'e transmitted throughthe 'branch 17 and stem'12ito'the frame disposed 'atethe' front of the tractor and inasmuch as 1 :said' frame is vfitted directly to th'e'ihubs of the tractor steering wheels, said wheels will be shifted in the. same: mannerftha't they would be shifted if Lthe steering gear were actuatedv manually by the driver of the tractor, [When thetr'a ctor and the implement connected, therewith have reached the end tubular: member 3 and n then adjusting the spindlel9 and thesrshaft carrying "the steer-' 1' mg 'dISkS When.-he plowing operations lar body, and furrow '7 In testimonywhereof weaiiixyour signa- I p i ARoI-r no.-saintly..:-} L. s. J

have been finished, the entire device may be lifted to an inoperative position by properly adjusting-the chain or similar element 16 in an'obvious manner. The apparatus is exceedingly simple in its. construction ;and,arrangement, is not apt to get out of order and is efficient in operation. I Having thusidescribed the claim: i V 7 i r 1. A tractor guide comprising a frame including side bars adapted to lie at the sides invention, we

of a tractor, means for connecting said bars :with the tractor steering wheels whereby 'movement of the bars will dispose the tractor steering wheels in angular positions, a forwardly projecting tubularbodyfi'xedrto and carried by said bars-centrally of the tractor,

a stem-extending longitudinally through and rotatable in said tubular member, and furrow-engaging devices carried by said stem,-

, 2. A tractor guide comprising a tubular body,lateral arms on said body at the'ends of the same, frame bars secured to said arms and extending laterally and rearwardly therefrom, means at the endsofsaid bars for connecting; the same with the tractor dinally throughand rotatable in said tubu- 7 engaging devices car- 'ried by tliest'emn j i.

3. A tractor guide comprising a frame constructed' to be disposedat thejfront '.ofa tractor, thimbles at the rear ends of said frame adapted to engage upon thehubs of the tractor steering wheels,a stem rotatably fitted in said' frameIat the center thereof: and

' proj ecting. forwardly therefrom, [tubular i branch extending laterally from the front end of said stem, a spindlerotatableand longitudinally adjustable inthe outer end of the branch, a tubular memberziat the" outer V side of said spindle and disposed: at an'angle thereto, a shaft fitted in said tubular member, and furrow-engaging devices carried 'by-the lower end ofsaid shaft. 7

p 4. Atractorguide comprisingaframe con-- structed to'befitted over the :hubs oftractor steering .wheels,;a stem rotatably :mounted in said frame centrally of the same at the front i 0f the tractor, a tubular branch extending from the front end of the stem,-i"a.,spindle fitted 1n the outer endofsaid tubular branch,

means for securing said spindle in a set posi- .tion in the branch, .a'z slefeve ca rried'by the outer, end of the spindle, a shaft swiveled Q'in said sleeve iandhaving across arm atone end, g and, furrow-engaging .disks rotatably ;mounted on the ends-of; said cross arm.

tures: 

